Rukikaire Installed as Chancellor of Kabale University

Canon Mathew Rukikaire, the former Minister of Privatisation, has been installed as the new Chancellor of Kabale University. The 88-year-old was installed on Tuesday by Vice President Jessica Rose Epel Alupo, who represented President Yoweri Museveni. Kabale High Court judge Karoli Lwanga Ssemogerere presided over the swearing-in ceremony.

President Museveni appointed Rukikaire as Chancellor on October 17, 2025, replacing Professor George Mondo Kagonyera, who has since retired. Speaking at the ceremony held at the university grounds, Vice Chancellor Joy Constance Kwesiga said the University Council and Senate have approved 15 policiesand guidelines to strengthen quality assurance and compliance.

She explained that the policies address key areas such as academics, research and innovation, student welfare, governance, service delivery, staff structures, risk management, library services, and community engagement. Kwesiga also noted that student enrolment has grown to 7,681 since the institution transitioned from a private to a public university in 2016, with 39.4 percent female students.

She added that the university employs 514 staff members, including 349 academic staff, while the rest serve in administrative and support roles. However, she said staff development remains constrained by limited funding and low staffing levels, currently estimated at 25 percent. She explained that the university relies heavily on part-time staff, which affects its growth.

Kwesiga also cited inadequate and scattered infrastructure as a major challenge affecting the academic environment and called for increased funding to construct more suitable facilities. She further raised security concerns, noting that the university lacks a perimeter wall due to funding constraints. She appealed to the government to support the development of newly established branches in Rukungiri and Kisoro districts.

In his remarks, Rukikaire pledged to serve diligently and professionally and committed to advocating for improved infrastructure at the university. Vice President Alupo urged leaders in the Kigezi sub-region to support the expansion of the university, including providing land for a proposed College of Medicine and Surgery. She also pledged to present the university’s concerns to President Museveni.

In a message read by Alupo, President Museveni congratulated Rukikaire on his installation as the second Chancellor of Kabale University and expressed confidence in his leadership. He described Rukikaire as a competent and patriotic leader with a strong record of integrity, excellence, and hard work.